Strip lace and method of making same



May 27, 1947. s, SAFTLAS 2,421,357

`STRIP LACE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed May v18, 1946 Y. I IE u. INVENTOR JAM/EL 6AM-nhs ATTORN EYS Patented May 27, 1947 UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE STRIP LACE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Samuel Saftlas, Newark, N. J. l

Application May 18, 1946, Serial No. 670,692

(Cl. Gil-170) Claims. l

This invention relates to the manufacture of knitted lace trimming and more particularly to relatively narrow strip lace of uniform width..

The principal object of the invention is to provide lace trimming of the above character more expeditiously and at less cost than has heretofore been possible.

Another object is to secure more flexibility in factory operations in the production of desired quantities of desired designs.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the initial steps in the production of the lace strips;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary similar View showing a further step;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic View of one form of finished product;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified construction;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing an alternative arrangement; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the finished product resulting from the alternative arrangement of Fig. 5.

In carrying out my invention I knit a lace fabric in tubular form on a tubular knitting machine. As shown in Fig. 1, I knit the circular fabric I in a plurality of zones and lines indicated respectively at 2, 3 and 4. It will be understood that in the drawings these zones and lines are shown diagrammatically and do not in dicate the actual formation of the stitches of which they are composed.

The zones 2 may be composed of any form or combination of stitches making up any desired floral or conventional lace design which the knitting machine is capable of producing. At each side of the zones 2 are formed narrow Zones 3 which may or may not form part ofthe design. The zones 3 are composed of a plurality of any form of non-raveling or non-run stitches well known in the art. As later described the zones 3 perform two, and if desired, three functions in the completed strip.

Between adjacent Zones 3 I position visually apparent vertical lines 4, shown of exaggerated width in the drawing, which are produced by repeated radially spaced stitch formations in the knitting courses, such as omitting one or more needles or dropping one or more stitches. The sole function of the lines 4 is to form a guide along which the tubular fabric may be cut, as

2 shown at 5 in Fig.V 2, into strips generally indicated at 6. Lines 4 preferably are made as narrow as is consistent with this function and within the tolerances required bythe cutting practice followed in severing the tube into strips.

After the cutting operation the cut edges ofthe strirps 6 are bound or furnished, as shown in Fig. 3, by overseaming as indicated at 1 using any conventional type of overseaming sewing machine. The non-curling character of the non-run stitches of which zone 3 is composed permits easy manipulation of the. strips in the overseaming machine. Furthermore the solidity of the fabric in the zone 3 serves to reenforce the edgeof the lace strips, permitting the threads of the more open stitches of the design Zone 2 to readily adjust themselves to a flat condition. If desired, and as shown in Fig. 3, the zones 3 may be made sufficiently wide to form a part of the` design and give a'stripe effect at the edges of the strip. The zones 3 may however be narrowed so as to be nearly covered by the over seams 1 so that the appearance is merely that of a finished edge on the body ofthe strip, without sacrificing the two functions of the zones 3 previously described. In any case the cut threads are anchored in the zones 3 by the machine stitching and the free thread ends along the lines 4 are bent and matted against the edges of the zones 3 by the threads of the overseam -1 so as to be covered thereby.

`The lines 4 as such, thus disappear from the finished strip, but the free ends of the threads along the lines 4 when confined by the overseam 1 may give some added bulk and strength to the edges of the finished strip.

Where the stitches forming zone- 3 are sufficiently tight and compact, the edges of the cut strips may be adequately held by running a conventional Singer stitch 8 through the zones 3 as shown in Fig. 4. The resulting product has a much less finished appearance, but is somewhat cheaper to make and is satisfactory for some purposes. The overseamed edge 1 of Fig. 3 is preferable.

As above pointed out the function of the line 4 is to provide a guide for cutting the tubular fabric into strips of uniform width and is desirably made as narrow as possible as by omitting a single needle or dropping a single stitch. In practice, where the body of the lace design consists of a repetitions overall pattern with overlapping design areas formed wholly or in substantial part of non-run types of stitches, the lines 4 may comprise observable longitudinal lines formed by repeated points in the overall pattern, formed by dropped stitches or otherwise, which are positioned vertically above each other in succeeding knitting courses. For example as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5 the tubular fabric I may be knit in an overall pattern comprising overlapping areas such as lunes 9 formed of non-run types of stitches the space between the areas 9 being formed of open stitch areas IIJ. In such a design radially and vertically repeated points I I are provided to form guide lines, indicated bythe arrows I2, equivalent in their guiding function to the lines 4. When the tubular fabric is cut into strips I3 along the lines I 2, as shown in Fig. 6, the cut edges comprise non-run .edge portions 'I4 where the areas 9 have been cut through, separated by spaces I5 where the areas I0 have. been crossed by the cutter. When the edges of the so cut strip are provided with an overseam' I6 the edge portions I4 of the cut areas 9 form Zones in which, although interrupted by the spaces I5, the cut lace forming threads are anchored in the same manner as in the continuous zones l3 previously described. "Where'the -overseam I6 crosses the openspaces 4I5 Ilndthat theoverseaming threads form a chain" I'I-which is self sustaining and forms with the overseamed edges ofthe portions I4 a continuousnishededge for the strip.

I amy aware that circularfu'niformly knit textile fabrics have `been cut-longitudinally andthat fringed edges have been providedvfor such textilefabrics by dropping a'multiplicity of stitches, through which a cut ismade A'in forming 'the fringe. The knit lace as'distinguished from a uniform textile presents a quite different material' -both fromr the standpoint 'of manufacture and handling. Whilethe"desirabilityv of inexpensive lace stripshasbeen recognized lthe art has directedits eiTorts-to attemptingto reduce the cost of narrow webA knitting in general. By my invention it 4is possible 'to get a substantial production of strip lace ofa given' design from a single circular knitting machine and 'the proportion of different designsordiiferent widths of strip lace produced'is madeextremely flexible since a relatively small number 'ofknitting machines may be kept in substantiallyI continuous production andfwith easilyA and quickly made adjustments, produce a large orsmall quantity-*of strip lace in a`wide range of designs and widths. 1

This is important particularly rin small 'plants and is accomplished by the design versatility of the circular Vknitting 'machine in forming 'the bodydesign of the lace strips, in combination with non-runedge zonesyinterruptedor conf tinuous, the provision of a cutting vguide line in the circular knitting sequence',E and 'the overseaming finishing 'of the-edge. The advantageous flexibility resulting from 1 my' invention vis lfurtherillustrated by 4the -fact thatV while the'form ofFigs, 1, 2 'and' 3 give a practically unlimited range in design,"the 'form of Figs." 51and"6 while more limited in the range' ofdesign makes possible extremely economical production iof@ strip lace in varying widths. A further advantage of the-lace strips made in accordance with-myfinvention resides in the'fa'ctthatthey' havethe surface directed flexibility 'in all directions which is characteristic of 'circularknit VAlace and'which not only permits the cut strips to adjust themselves to a plane but permits the strips to' be applied to curved edges` andto'vbe pressed"flat incurved form, the necessary adjustment ofthe 4 stitches taking place without objectionable deformation of the lace fabric. When used as insertions or as applique in table cloths, drapes and the like, the strip lace of my invention achieves remarkably rich appearing results at exceedingly low cost which substantially extends the field of use and enjoyment of such articles.

What I claim is:

1. .Strip lace which comprises a flat width of circularly knit lace fabric, the body of the strip being knit in a predetermined lace design pattern, the edge portions of the strip being formed in substantial part at least by non-run knit stitches,

lace-forming threads presenting free ends at the edges of said non-run edge portions, said free ends beinganchored in said portions by machine stitching.

l2. Strip lace which comprises a flat width of circularly knit lace fabric, the body of the strip being knit in a predetermined lace design pattern, the edge portions of the strip being formed in ysubstantial part at least by non-run knit stitches, the lace-forming threads presenting free ends at the edges of said non-run edge portions, said free ends beinganchoredin said portions by over-seam machine stitching forming a continuous finish at the edges of the strip.

3. The method of making strip lace which cornprises knitting a circular lace fabric of predetermined design, said design including radially spaced stitch formations forming visually apparent vertical guide lines by which the circular fabric may be cut longitudinally into strips of desired uniform width, the portions of the fabric adjacent said lines being formed in substantial part at least by non-run stitches, severing said fabric into strips along said lines to locate the cut ends of the lace-forming threads at said nonrun stitch portions of the edges ofthe strip, and running a seam of machine stitching along the edge portions of the severed strips closely adjacent the edges lthereof toA anchor the cut laceforming threads in said non-run edge portions.

4. The method of making strip lace which comprises knitting a circular lace fabric in a radially repeated strip design, dropping at least one stitch between each such radially spaced strip design in each knitting course to form visually apparent vertical guide lines by which the circular fabric may be cut longitudonally into strips of predetermineduniform width the portions of the fabric adjacent said lines being formed in substantial part aty least by non-run stitches, severing said fabric into strips along said lines, and overseaming the edge portions of the strip to anchor the cut lace-forming threads in said non-run edge portions and provide finished edges for the strips.

5. The method of making strip lace which comprises knitting a circular lace fabric in a radially repeated strip design, providing radially spaced stitch formations in each knitting course to form spaced visually apparent guide lines longitudinally of the fabric-by which the circular fabric may be cut into strips of uniform width, the portions of the fabric adjacent said lines being formed in substantial part at least by nonrun stitches, severing said fabric into strips along said lines, and over-seaming the edge portions of the strip to anchor the cut lace-forming threads in said non-run edge portions and provide finished edges for the strips.

SAMUEL SAFTLAS. 

